The Virginia Institute of Marine Science has long-occupied a collection of parcels in Wachapreague, Virginia, and sought to replace their existing, outdated facilities with modern ones to match the quality of the educational and research programs they provide. These new buildings will support functions of marine research, an aquaculture hatchery, wet and dry laboratory space, student / visitor lodging, fleet maintenance, and administration.

Threading new construction into the fabric of a small coastal town requires a careful eye for scale and detail. Form, material, and color were taken from the surrounding site and building context to artfully nestle this collection of six new buildings into the neighborhood while maintaining consistency of character and scale to establish them as part of a larger, state of the art research campus.

Due to the nature of work performed by VIMS, all of the new buildings are constructed in close proximity to the water. Three of the buildings will be constructed in the flood plain and are detailed with a combination of contingent and permanent flood proofing engineering techniques to appropriately address concerns about major storm events and rising sea levels. Each building will have specific design features to suit its function, including a wet research lab spaces requiring fresh unconditioned seawater which will be pumped into the aquaculture hatchery.